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Stephen Harper seeks consensus on increased role in Mali

Prime Minister Stephen Harper delivers a statement regarding the federal government review of the $15.1-billion takeover of Nexen Inc. by China’s CNOOC Ltd. and the $6-billion takeover of Progress by Malaysia’s Petronas in this 2012 file photo. Photo: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrand

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Stephen Harper says he is searching for a “consensus” within Canada and Parliament on how to help halt the spread of terrorism in Mali, but he will not allow a direct Canadian military mission into the African country.

Meanwhile, spokesmen for the opposition New Democrats and Liberals say their parties agree with the need to take a close look at how Canada can participate — with an immediate focus possibly on humanitarian relief, military training, and logistical support to the French and African Union forces entering Mali.

The fate of Mali, where Islamist militants have overtaken part of the country and experts fear the creation of a base for global terrorism, has suddenly become an international flashpoint in recent weeks.

With Parliament set to resume next Monday after a six-week break, it appears likely the issue will be front and centre as MPs hold public hearings to analyze the appropriate Canadian response.

Harper spoke about the issue Wednesday, just one day before the government’s one-week, “time-limited” military involvement in the matter was set to expire.

Canada has provided a single military transport plane — a C-17 Globemaster — to ferry French troops into Mali.

At a news conference in Cambridge, Ont., Harper, told reporters he views the French military operation as a “very important anti-terrorist mission.”

“The government, as you know, has made a time-limited, limited commitment of equipment for a limited amount of time to assist with the French mission,” said Harper.

“The government is looking at whether and how to extend those commitments of technical support to that mission. We are in consultation.”

The prime minister said he is talking to his own “colleagues” as well as members of the opposition parties.

“Anything we do, I would like to see a broad Canadian consensus behind that. I do think it is important to help this mission.

“At the same time, I think we’ve been very clear, and I think this reflects Canadian opinion, that while we’re prepared to help, we don’t want to see a direct Canadian military mission to Mali.

“So we will continue to look at ways we can be helpful with broad consensus in Parliament.”

NDP foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar said in an interview Wednesday that Mulcair secured a commitment for “parliamentary oversight” which includes a Commons committee that will hold public hearings.

“We wanted to see more clarity,” said Dewar. “That has been our critique from the beginning. There has been a lot of confusion coming from the government about what we should do.”

Dewar said Canada needs to be “very engaged” in offering its support where needed.

He pointed to contradictory statements in recent weeks by Defence Minister Peter MacKay and Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird.

It’s even unclear what Harper means by a “direct military mission,” he said.

Dewar said it would not be advisable now to send Canadian troops, but he added: “Once you start dealing with something as complex as this, I don’t think you can rule anything out.”

Rae said Wednesday that Canada needs to understand what kind of security threat it faces by the spread of Islamist militants in Africa.

“That requires a bit of leadership from all of us to talk to Canadians about the fact that it is not possible in the shrinking globe for there to be parts of the world where terrorists are prepared to use violence to achieve their ends.”

Rae said that if a Canadian military mission ever occurred, it would have to be “exceedingly well-planned.”

“I think the prime minister is concerned that we not get into an open-ended commitment. I can understand that. But we also have to understand that these guys on the other side don’t really have a timetable.”

On Wednesday, Harper provided no details on whether increased Canadian participation would simply mean an extension of the C-17 assistance — which is due to expire Thursday —or also other forms of military help to the French.

Meanwhile, Harper was also asked about reports two Canadians were among the hostage-takers at the deadly attack on a natural gas plant in Algeria.

On Monday, Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal told reporters that last week’s four-day siege at the sprawling complex, which left 37 hostages and 29 militants dead, was carried out by a group of attackers that included two Canadians.

The others were from Egypt, Mali, Niger, Mauritania and Tunisia, Sellal said.

The siege ended when Algerian special forces stormed the plant.

Federal officials “summoned” the Algerian ambassador in Ottawa to a meeting this week to press for proof that Canadians were involved in the attack.

“People from our government are in contact with the government of Algeria,” Harper told reporters.

“We have no substantial information at the present time on these particular individuals. But obviously we will continue to work with the government of Algeria to find out more about this particular matter.”

Mark Kennedy arrived on Parliament Hill in 1988 as an Ottawa Citizen political reporter and has covered eight federal election campaigns. He won a National Newspaper Award for enterprise reporting and... read more spent a decade specializing in health-care coverage. He is currently parliamentary bureau chief at The Ottawa Citizen.View author's profile